THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: FEB. 22 & 21/

[StatManDu]

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: FEBRUARY 22ND

 

For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

 

TAKING A FLIER ON FLOYD

1991: The White Sox invited hard-throwing but enigmatic right-hander Floyd Youmans to their spring traning camp as a non-roster invitee. Youmans had been one of the most promising pitchers in the National League in the mid-1980s but everything from a bulge battle to injuries to a stint in a drug rehab derailed him. Youmans, who attended the same high school – Hillsborough in Tampa -- as the Mets’ Dwight Gooden, was 13-12 with a 3.53 ERA with 202 strikeouts in 219 innings as a 22-year old for the Expos. After winning nine games in 1987, Youmans won just four times over the next two seasons. He had been out of the game in 1990 and 1991 when the Sox came calling. His tryout with the Sox didn’t amount to anything. The next time Youmans appeared in professional baseball was for a five-game stint with independent Saskatoon in 2003.

 

NO BILLY JOE

1994: The White Sox announced that outfielder Billy Joe Hobert would not be attending spring training as a non-roster invitee. The future NFL quarterback was the White Sox 16th round pick in the June 1993 draft out of the University of Washington despite never playing college baseball. Hobert, a left-handed hitter, batted .256 with four RBIs in 15 games at the Sox Rookie League affiliate at Sarasota in 1993. That, however, was the extent of his professional baseball career. Hobert went on to quarterback 29 games in the NFL for Oakland, Buffalo and New Orleans between 1995 and 1998. Hobert gained some “fame” for admitting he didn’t thoroughly prepare for a 1997 Bills’ game against New England in which two of his first three passes were intercepted. He was quickly cut.

 

TOUGH BREAK FOR RAD

1994: The White Sox announced that test performed on reliever Scot Radinsky revealed that a lymph node on the left side of his neck contained Hodgkins Disease. The 25-year old Radinsky, who was a key part of the Sox pen from 1990 to 1993, returned to his California home to begin chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The disease cost Radinsky the 1994 campaign but he did return in 1995 and went 2-1 with a 5.45 ERA and one save. Radinsky went the free agent route after the 1995 season and signed with the Dodgers. He pitched in the big leagues until 2001 and retired after a brief stint in the minors in 1992.

 

FEBRUARY 21ST

 

THE SOX AT NIGHT, SHINE BIG & BRIGHT, DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS

1931: The White Sox were part of history when they played the New York Giants in the first night game between two big league teams at Buffs Stadium in Houston, Texas. The teams combined to collected 23 hits in the 10-inning exhibition. Despite countless searches, I was unable to find the score of the game. The Sox wouldn’t play their first night game at Comiskey Park until Aug. 14, 1939.

 

DENT: I WANT TO STAY WITH THE SOX

1977: Even with his future with the White Sox uncertain, shortstop Bucky Dent began working out at the team’s spring training complex in Sarasota, Fla., according to the Chicago Tribune. Dent, who had given the Sox three solid seasons, arrived in Florida more than a week before the rest of the Sox were required to be there. “I want to stay with the Sox,” Dent told the Tribune. Dent would last through spring training through with the Sox but he was dealt to the Yankees for Oscar Gamble, LaMarr Hoyt, a minor leaguer and $200,000 on April 5, 1977 – two days before Opening Day.

 

THE MAD HUNGARIAN ON DISPLAY

1983: Even with a stocked and talented pitching staff, White Sox manager Tony LaRussa decided to take a look at a familiar name during spring training in Sarasota, Fla. Al Hrabosky, the “Mad Hungarian” was given the chance to win a spot in the Sox bullpen, according to Chicago Tribune reports of the day. Hrabosky, a colorful lefty who led the N.L. with 22 saves for the 1975 Cardinals, was signed by the Sox on April 8, 1983 but he never played in a game for the Sox.

 

MJ GOES DEEP … BUT NOT FOR 3

1994: Recently-signed White Sox minor leaguer Michael Jordan socked his first batting practice home run, according to Chicago Tribune reports of the day. Hitting with Frank Thomas, Jordan’s fly ball just cleared the billboards in left field at the Sox complex in Sarasota, Fla., according to the Tribune.

 

Editor's Note: Information for these entries is gleaned from the author's files, retrosheet.org, various Internet sources, press reports of the day, White Sox media guides and the many White Sox books written by the great Rich Lindberg.

Edited February 22, 2008 by StatManDu

[WinningUgly85]

you might want to add MacDougal throwing a wild pitch and injuring joe crede.

Edited February 23, 2008 by WinningUgly85

[YASNY]

Although I hated it at the time, that Bucky Dent trade turned out pretty well for the Sox. Gamble was a huge part of '77 Southside Hitmen team, which was one of the funnest seasons to be a Sox fan. Hoyt was the ace and CY winner during the '83 winning ugly, division championship season who was traded after '84 for Ozzie Guillen.

 

Of course, the trade payed off handsomely for the Yankees too, when Dent's HR sealed Boston's fate in that playoff game in Fenway.

Edited February 24, 2008 by YASNY

[StatManDu]

Although I hated it at the time, that Bucky Dent trade turned out pretty well for the Sox. Gamble was a huge part of '77 Southside Hitmen team, which was one of the funnest seasons to be a Sox fan. Hoyt was the ace and CY winner during the '83 winning ugly, division championship season who was traded after '84 for Ozzie Guillen.

 

Of course, the trade payed off handsomely for the Yankees too, when Dent's HR sealed Boston's fate in that playoff game in Fenway.

Agreed and I wouldn't give that deal back. However, you have to wonder what that 77 team would have been like with Dent at shortstop instead of Alan Bannister and his league-leading 40 errors. 40 errors!

[YASNY]

Agreed and I wouldn't give that deal back. However, you have to wonder what that 77 team would have been like with Dent at shortstop instead of Alan Bannister and his league-leading 40 errors. 40 errors!

 

Who was it that year that got so hot... KC? Anyway, Dent wouldn't have made THAT much of a difference. The Sox still wouldn't have won the division. The best thing about that team was just how much fun that was. In fact, that year is when the whole Na Na Hey Hey thing started.